Delaplaine, Joseph: [Madison, James]:

$950 · Offered by William Reese Company · No longer available

[AUTOGRAPH LETTER, SIGNED, FROM PHILADELPHIA BOOKSELLER JOSEPH DELAPLAINE TO PRESIDENT JAMES MADISON, REGARDING DELAPLAINE'S STRUGGLES IN SECURING A GOOD ENGRAVED PORTRAIT FOR ONE OF HIS ... An interesting letter from Philadelphia publisher and bookseller Joseph Delaplaine to President James Madison, describing his Sisyphean efforts to acquire an acceptable engraved portrait for a forthcoming work. Delaplaine first wrote Madison on the subject on May 23, 1813, indicating that he had "commenced the publication of a series of Engraved portraits of the eminent men of our country, by Mr. [David] Edwin & [William S.] Leney, in the best style," and requesting that Madison provide him with an "approved likeness" to use for the project. Madison responded favorably to this request, sending the publisher Gilbert Stuart's 1804 portrait. In the present letter, written on November 12, 1814, the publisher explains why he has yet to return the portrait after a year and a half's wait:"When I received your portrait from you, I placed it in the hands of Mr. Edwin to make an engraving from it. After promising to execute it & keeping it in his hands for several months he returned the picture to me without performing his promise, or giving me the reason of his unaccountable conduct. Mr. Edwin has engraved nothing for me the last 12 months except Dr. Rush's portrait which is but indifferently executed, & perhaps for several years he has executed nothing worth looking at….When I found that Mr. Edwi

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